PIERRE, S.D. – Representatives of the Keystone Pipeline notified the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission that work began on the project this week in South Dakota. Crews started to clear the ground in Marshall County, the northern entrance of the route into South Dakota, to make way for the pipeline that will extend 220 miles through the state, exiting at Yankton County.

As part of its order allowing for the construction of the pipeline, the PUC required Keystone to provide regular updates to the commission. The order also instructed the company to hire a public liaison officer to be available to landowners and other residents who may have concerns about the construction process. The liaison, Sarah Metcalf of Aberdeen, S.D., has been on the job since May.

To access information about the Keystone Pipeline project in South Dakota, including weekly progress reports from the company, visit the PUC's Web site at www.puc.sd.gov and click on the "Keystone Pipeline Updates" link on the home page.